Shutter apparatus for a coating chamber viewport

Abstract

A shutter apparatus capable of protecting the interior surface of an evacuable optical coating chamber viewport from the deposition of off-substrate coating material when in the closed position, and exposing the viewport surface to permit viewing through the viewport into the chamber when in the open position. The movement of the shutter between the open and closed positions is accomplished without breaching the chamber seal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A shutter apparatus for a viewport of an evacuable optical coating chamber, said viewport having interior and exterior surfaces, comprising: a fixed shutter;   a movable shutter movably attached to said fixed shutter;   a bracket for mounting said fixed and movable shutters over the interior surface of said viewport, said viewport adapted to be sealed in a wall of said chamber;   an actuator movable between first and second positions over the exterior surface of said viewport;   a magnetic coupling between said actuator and said movable shutter; and   wherein said fixed shutter and said movable shutter shield the interior surface of said viewport when said actuator is in said first position, and said movable shutter is movable to expose at least a portion of the interior surface of said viewport to permit viewing therethrough when said actuator is moved towards said second position.   
     
     
       2. The shutter apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an "O" ring seal for forming a vacuum seal between a wall of said chamber and the interior surface of said viewport. 
     
     
       3. The shutter apparatus of claim 1, wherein said magnetic coupling comprises: a magnetized portion of the actuator having north and south magnetic poles disposed in a first orientation coplanar with said viewport;   a magnetized portion of the movable shutter having north and south magnetic poles disposed in a second orientation coplanar with said viewport; and   wherein opposite poles on the actuator and the movable shutter are aligned through the viewport.   
     
     
       4. The shutter apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupling includes a magnetic portion of the actuator and a magnetic portion of the movable shutter, at least one of which magnetic portions is magnetized. 
     
     
       5. The shutter apparatus of claim 1, wherein said viewport is substantially circular, said fixed shutter is substantially semi-circular, said movable shutter is substantially semi-circular and attached to said fixed shutter at a pivot located at a flat edge of said fixed shutter approximately over the center of the interior surface of said viewport, said actuator is movable from said first position to said second position along a substantially semi-circular path over the exterior surface of the viewport, and said movable shutter is rotatable about the pivot. 
     
     
       6. A shutter apparatus for a viewport in a wall of an evacuable optical coating chamber, said viewport having interior and exterior surfaces, comprising: a fixed shutter;   a movable shutter rotatably attached to said fixed shutter at a pivot;   a mounting bracket collar attached to said fixed shutter for mounting said fixed and movable shutters over the interior surface of said viewport;   means for forming a vacuum seal between a wall of said chamber and the interior surface of said viewport;   an actuator movable between first and second positions over the exterior surface of said viewport;   a magnetic coupling between said actuator and said movable shutter; and   wherein said fixed shutter and said movable shutter shield the interior surface of said viewport when said actuator is in said first position, and said movable shutter is movable to expose at least a portion of the interior surface of said viewport to permit viewing therethrough when said actuator is moved towards said second position.   
     
     
       7. A shuttered viewport for an evacuable optical coating chamber, comprising: a transparent material having interior and exterior surfaces, mounted in a frame adapted to cover over an opening in a wall of the evacuable coating chamber;   means for fixing said frame to said chamber wall;   a fixed shutter;   a movable shutter, movably attached to said fixed shutter;   a mounting bracket collar for mounting said fixed and movable shutters over the interior surface of said transparent material;   an "O" ring seal for forming a vacuum seal between a wall of said chamber and the interior surface of said transparent material;   an actuator movable between first and second positions over the exterior surface of said transparent material;   a magnetic coupling between said actuator and said movable shutter; and   wherein said fixed shutter and said movable shutter shield the interior surface of said transparent material when said actuator is in said first position, and said movable shutter is movable to expose at least a part of the interior surface of said transparent material to permit viewing therethrough when said actuator is moved towards said second position.   
     
     
       8. An apparatus comprising: an evacuable coating chamber having an elongated wall;   at least one viewport in said wall, said viewport having interior and exterior surfaces, and said viewport being sealed in a wall of said chamber; and   a shutter apparatus for the viewport, including: a fixed shutter,   a movable shutter movably attached to said fixed shutter,   a bracket for mounting said fixed and movable shutters over the interior surface of said viewport,   an actuator at the exterior surface of said viewport for causing movement of said movable shutter, and   wherein said fixed shutter and said movable shutter shield the interior surface of said viewport when said actuator is in a first position, and said movable shutter is movable to expose at least a portion of the interior surface of said viewport to permit viewing therethrough when said actuator is moved towards a second position.     
     
     
       9. A shutter apparatus for an evacuable coating chamber viewport, said viewport having interior and exterior surfaces, comprising: a fixed shutter,   a movable shutter movably attached to said fixed shutter,   a bracket for mounting said fixed and movable shutters over the interior surface of said viewport,   an actuator at the exterior surface of said viewport for causing movement of said movable shutter, and   wherein said fixed shutter and said movable shutter shield the interior surface of said viewport when said actuator is in a first position, and said movable shutter is movable to expose at least a portion of the interior surface of said viewport to permit viewing therethrough when said actuator is moved towards a second position.